Chris Webber's downtown Sacramento restaurant, Center Court, received plenty of attention at its 2006 opening. Less than four years later, Webber is being sued by Promenade, Center Court's landlord, in Sacramento County Superior Court for $1.8 million after Center Court closed months ago with a lease that runs until 2026. Promenade's complaint asks for $1 million to help release the property, $134,997 in overdue rent, $50,000 in clean-up fees and $41,399.32 a month until the court renders a judgment.
Webber was no longer with the team at the time Center Court opened and has since retired, but he remains a popular figure in Sacramento. Sacramento Kings fans have fond memories of the wildly entertaining Kings teams from the early part of last decade that consistently made it deep into the playoffs. Webber and business partner Jeff Dudum of Dudum Sports and Entertainment opened Center Court hoping to leverage that popularity into a hot Sacramento restaurant. But the restaurant business has suffered just like the rest of the economy over the last few years. Center Court could not make rent payments towards the end of last year and decided to close its doors.
Webber and Dudum signed a lease with Opus West Corporation, a real estate developer. Opus West filed for bankruptcy protection last year, one of many real estate developers that were punished by the recession.
